Event Horizon - Remain Suffering
by blueprintLV
Summary: Issei Hyoudou had a particularly rough childhood. Ever since a single day in which he painted the walls crimson, everything changed...for worse. 'My only salvation is to sleep, as I await for a better day.' How far can despair haunt you? To the end of the world, apparently. /No Ddraig/No Gremory peerage/Damaged human Issei/Chaos Brigade Issei./Blacksmith Issei./
1. REVERSED FOOL

A women in the room's corner was sobbing. Her nose was bleeding crimson, dripping down over her face. One of her eyes was swollen shut. She was curled up in a small ball, hiding her head like she always did.

The wall was splattered with even more dark blood, and so was the small boy's face. His brown eyes fluttered a bit as he looked at the blond man, lying down in a pool of his own blood.

He coughed a bit, and tried turned around, facing the boy, staring him straight into the eyes, in hopes of intimidating him, but the boy remained standing, holding what was left of a glass bottle.

His face and eyes didn't show anything. Not a shred of compassion, fear or guilt. It was completely blank.

''What? Do you actually think you can kill me, brat? I raised you! I made you what you are! I gave you discipline, I gave you the drive, I gave YOU THOSE EYES!''

The man screamed, pure anger to his voice. The blood from his blond hair spilled down, over his face, covering one of his eyes, making him squint.

''I was here, to teach you.'' – The man began. –''I showed you the way to become strong...I deprived you of the basics so you could understand that they are not a necessity! It was all for you to become stronger as a person...but you...you damn brat, THREW IT ALL AWAY!''

The brown-haired boy grasped the broken bottle stronger, as his small, slender fingers convulsed.

''...That's wrong. You are nothing but an abuser...and a molester.'' – The boy's voice came out completely void of emotion.

''Hahahaha...'' – The man laughed. –''...But nevertheless, you still are as weak as your real father...you stupid,useless, _useless_, **useless**, incompetent, weak brat!''

The boy turned around, releasing the shard of the broken bottle, as it fell to the floor, shattering into even smaller pieces.

''Are you going to run away? Run away like always, Issei Hyo-!'' – The man screamed, but it was cut short, as blood splattered the over the room, turning the wall to his front crimson.

A dull looking knife had slid across the man's face, cutting open his eye, nose and forehead.

A knife that hadn't been there before.

The boy jumped on the man's chest and reverse gripped knife, and brought it down at the man's chest.

Repeatedly.

A few stabs later he was already out of breath and the knife fell out of his grasp, hitting the ground with a clang and then..._disappearing_.

He looked at the man's hand and reached for a dark ring on his index finger. The ring had a small, dark rock on it's front...it always hurt a lot when the man punched him with a closed fist.

He pulled the ring on his own thumb, because it was too big to fit anywhere else.

That was when he convulsed and jerked into his awakened state.

Grasping at his chest, he tried to breathe. He felt a rugged hand on his shoulder, as blue eyes looked down into his own, dull brown.

''The ''Head'' asks for you, child.'' – A man stated. He was average height and a bit on the muscular side.

He nodded and got up from his sitting position, that he had fallen asleep in, pulling the dark hoodie he had on lower, and pushing the end of his camouflage pants into his boots.

He followed the man to a different room in the hotel, as his gaze was met by a few other people. He nodded his head down in reaction to it.

It was a dark, bare and dusty room, with a two sofas, both of which were taken by people.

''The hell? This kid looks like he would be scared of his own shadow.'' – A person who had a darker skin color and black hair spoke up.

''He was pulled straight from the loony-bin. Killed his own stepfather and watched his own stepmother kill herself.'' – A women with golden hair and a black, short and tight dress responded, crossing her legs, flashing a bit of black lace as she did that.

The boy tensed up.

''How old was he then?'' – A man with long black hair pulled into a bun on the back of his head, who was leaning against the window sill asked. He wore a black t-shirt and some joggers, together with simple street sneakers.

''About 10 or 11. The hell would you need to know that, asshole?'' – A different women answered.

''It could change his reasons. If he was very young it could have been the instinct to kill...but he wasn't very young.''

The man got up and walked to the boy. His build was muscular and he was almost a foot and a half taller than the boy. He leaned downwards and grabbed the boys chin, raising it upwards, and meeting his eyes.

''Ah...this one is far gone.'' – The man said and released him. –''This could be it. Listen to me, kid.''

The boy nodded

''I am looking for a new member to my little...squad. You...do you want to remain useless?''

He shook his head.

''Come with me then.'' – The man responded and began to exit the room, with the boy in his tow.

* * *

It was raining. The boy didn't like the rain, as it drowned out the other sounds around him and made him feel dull and drowsy. He looked at the electronic watch on his hand and awaited exactly 1am.

He moved out of the alleyway's shadow and onto the empty street, as only some of the Chinese street signs remained illuminated, dashing some of the light onto his small statue.

The longer he remained in the rain, the heavier his navy colored jacket and his black pants became, so he moved as fast as he could. Everything he had to do was instilled in his mind, as he gone over the plan many times that night.

He turned the corner and arrived at a rather run down factory. A few tens of meters before the main gate, that was guarded by two soldier-looking people, there was a small hole in the barb-wired gate. The boy raised his arm and a a small knife appeared in his hand.

He touched the side of the gate, just where a support pillar stood, and dragged the knife upwards. The small studs fell out easily...just as the instructions said.

The knife disappeared in thin air and he pushed the fence upwards, and slid trough the gap , immediately beginning to jog over to the side of the factory.

''_Unfortunately the factory doesn't have windows on the first floor, so you'll have to get past the guards.''_

He remembered the words that the mysterious man had said, as he turned the corner, towards the emergency exit of the 4 story building...and it was secured by two guards, holding rifles.

The boy slouched his back lowered his arms, as he moved towards them, letting them spot him.

They immediately raised their rifles, but then slightly lowered them, shouting at him in Chinese. They moved a bit closer, and so did the boy.

They hesitated, most likely because he was a kid.

A few more steps, as both of the people were a foot or two away.

They asked something in Chinese again, this time with more force to their voice.

Another step, as the boy touched the black ring on his index finger. He moved it a bit and then both of his arms flailed upwards.

Like the silence itself, the two men lost all of the control over their bodily functions, falling down with a thud, as their throats were cut in half. The boy spun the two knives in his hand around and made them disappear, as he grabbed the two men and pulled them a bit away from the clear field, hiding both of them behind a dumpster...it was lucky that they were relatively lightweight...if not, the boy wouldn't have been able to move them at all.

He stopped for a second, to catch his breath, and swiped the keys from one of the guards.

The emergency doors opened with a silent clicking sound and he moved up the poorly lit stairs.

The boy pulled out a mask from his coat. It was a pure black, blank mask with two circles for eyes. He clasped the two clips at the back of his head, took a deep breath and pulled up his hood.

He moved silently, dodging a few patrols that were walking around. It was easy...because that man had told him where, how and how many people would move around.

And thus, he easily reached the fourth floor.

At the end of the stairs, there were two guards, so he decided what to do on the spot.

The knives appeared in his hand..this time, the blade and the handle was balanced, and it was bare metal.

He turned the corner and flicked his wrists, before the guards could even begin to react.

The two knives were thrown into one of the guards heart, while the other went into the eyeball of the other man and stabbed his brain.

The boy leaped over the bodies and closed in on the doors.

''_You are after a flash-drive...and a __person_. _Your target is an influential man in this district...A corrupt man...but don't misunderstand. You are not doing it because of justice...we just obey the highest bidder.''_

The man's words echoed in his mind, as he opened the doors, his hand already midair, with a knives in hand.

His target, the bald headed man in a suit, was talking on the phone. His eyes widened, as the boy flicked his wrist and the phone went flying out of his hand, being pinned on the wall by the knife.

His target leaped downwards, behind the desk. The sound of a drawer opening could be heard, and that sound was followed by the slide of a gun being pulled back.

With a flick of his wrist, the only light-bulb of the room was shattered by another throwing knife.

The man leaped upwards, aiming where the attacker had been a second ago, but he was gone.

Then pain attacked him, as he noticed a knife embedded in his elbow...and he noticed that he couldn't see from one of his eyes, as something warm was spilling down his face.

He brought up his free hand and touched his face, only feeling a knife in his eye socket.

He went into shock, unable to even scream.

From the rooms furthest corner, out of the shadow a blank-faced person chucked a few more knives, that ended up in his head, spine, throat and his other eye.

The boy quickly jogged over to his table, and pulled a flash-card from one of the drawers.

The boy took a one last glance at the bleeding man and jogged out of the room, backtracking his way in the office.

...It was easy.

* * *

The morning sun rose on the corner, as a sand colored jeep stopped by a particular street vendor. The streets were bustling and people were going on their way.

A brown-haired kid, who was kneeling by a building and messing around on his phone arose and went over to the jeep, stepping inside.

The doors closed with a quiet bang and he stared up the black haired man, who was smoking.

''Done?''

The boy nodded and took a flash drive out of pocket, handing it over to the man, who then handed it over to the women with the golden hair, who was still wearing the same, form fitting dress as a day ago.

''You pass. I am Four...and this...'' – The man raised his hand towards the women, who was holding a small laptop in her laptop. –''Is Thirteen.''

She raised her head and her olive-shaped, blue eyes pulled a bit closer, as she smirked and nodded.

Four spoke up. –''I understand that you have some...problems...''

The boy swallowed his spit and turned his head back to his small phone. He quickly pressed the screen a few dozen times and raised it towards the man. It was open on an e-mail with an empty subject window.

_[Yes. There are very few exceptions that I can actually speak with my own voice.]_

''...Selective mutism, then?''

The boy nodded.

''Alright. Tell me who you are.''

The boy looked puzzled.

He pressed the screen of his phone a few times and then raised it again.

_[Issei Hyoudou. 14 years old. A murderer.]_

Four laughed. –''You are interesting, kid...but you will need a new name, since you will be with us. Do you want to think of it yourself?''

Issei shrugged.

''Wasn't his mask blank?'' – Thirteen asked.

Four crossed his arms on his chest. –''How about...''Faceless'' then?

Issei nodded. He didn't care.

''What do you want to do now?''

It took a second for him to write the message on his phone.

_[To be useful.]_

* * *

_Writer's notes/Crazy ramblings._

_A new story. Welcome to my house. You can leave your hopes and dreams of a Gary Stue, handsome, overpowered, tall womanizer with a harem at the door. These things don't exist in my world. ''Broken Wings'' Issei had it bad, don't you think? Ara, but he has a lover, had a loving teacher, underlings...How about not having anyone at all? How about being alone? How about not having Ddraig? Can I make it even worse for a person who had it fucking terrible?_

_...I can. Who do you think I AM?_

_For now a lot of things are unclear, but don't fret. It is suppose to be like this. All will be unraveled with time. ''Broken Wings'' Issei got white hair from stress. This Issei became mute from stress. I understand people like overpowered Gary Stues who can take any girl from anyone, including Grayfia, Serafall, yadayada, but if you are anything like me...well, you find it simply boring. What is the accomplishment worth, if you never suffered a day in your for it? _

_**Nothing**. _

_...Then...dive head first into a story that is like Broken Wings, but is nothing like Broken Wings. Rias Gremory? Who is that? Who even cares? There are about 800 fics that have her as one of the main characters. Even I have her as a main character...but that gets old, doesn't it? _

_How about...Khaos Brigade? Cao Cao? Yeah...that sounds a lot better._

_ps. Don't worry, Broken Wings will be updated as well...I just need time to think and cool off._


	2. Kindness

A single day had passed, as the boy remained sitting in the corner of ''his'' room. The bed was too soft, the white blankets were too silky, and the kindness was too much for him to believe. The feeling of a bed to sleep on would most likely be too detached from him.

The room was pretty small, but for Issei it felt too big. A single bed, a single, empty shelf, a single, almost empty closet, a single desk and a chair. The wallpaper was a rather neutral, creme color, while the floor was a light tone wood. The small room had a high, small window, from which a small amount of light came in. His room was on the basement floor of the manor that he was currently located in.

At that moment, he could see the slight echo of a full moon trying to scrape its way into the room, trough the small window.

The whole ordeal was probably a joke. They would burst in ''his'' room and punish him for actually believing that ''he'' could use the bed on his own accord.

He didn't deserve a bed. Or sheets, for that matter.

He brought up his knees closer to his own chest, curling up into a ball.

He was a failure of a human. His worth was not even close to a normal human's worth.

His arm twitched, as he looked at his own wristwatch.

[5:33:37am]

It was a very simple, but sturdy metallic Casio electronic watch, a hand-down from a person who was a rank above him, when he was still in the '' JGSDF''. The watch had been spun down, so the face of it would cover the lower side of his wrist. Or rather, so it would cover the scars from a blade, and the bad job of sewing few of them back together.

He had gotten a few hours of sleep, it was all he needed. He couldn't sleep at all, without waking up every hour or so. He rested his head on his crossed arms and closed his eyes.

_The burning field of brittle concrete, bricks, charred wood and bodies. The uniforms, the weapons. The ground was littered by 5.56mm and 7.62mm shells. The wind had rustled his face gently, as if trying to cool him down. His bloody hands and the dusty, torn uniform. The emblem on his shoulder was blank. He had stumbled in some shadows, when those persons had come. All of them underage as well, but still older than him. All of them were murderers._

_They didn't mind the silence that Issei always kept. He had killed his parents. Even by the standards of crazy, unstable psychopaths, Issei was crazy, and thus...someone who shouldn't be touched. _

He had drifted off to a restless sleep, as his brittle mind tried to place the memories back in their rightful places, but that didn't last for too long, as he was pulled back by the footsteps his senses detected.

He looked at his wrist.

[7:23:43am]

The doors to his room opened and he saw Four walk in. He was wearing black slacks with charcoal oxford shoes and a white shirt, that had its sleeves rolled up. His messy black hair stretched almost to his broad shoulders, as he looked down at Issei with narrow eyes, holding a cigarette in his mouth.

He deeply inhaled and took the cigaret out of his mouth, exhaling the smokes.

Issei gave him his usual blank stare.

''Why the fuck are you sitting in the corner?'' – He asked, continuing smoking. –''Is the bed not soft enough for you?''

Issei shook his head, in denial.

''Ain't you the princess.''

Issei shook his head once again, understanding the misunderstanding, as he frantically reached for the phone in his pocket.

Four let out a bored chuckle at the sight.

Having pulled the phone from his black joggers he quickly typed into a empty email and extended the phone upwards.

Four sighed and leaned forwards, after exhaling some smoke.

[No, that is not it. I can't sleep in a bed.]

''Are you bad in the head?'' – Four asked, but then touched his head, as if having remembered something. –''Right, you are.''

Issei didn't react to the derogatory words that Four said.

''C'mon, lets go outside.'' – Four said and turned his back, before beginning to walk away.

Issei jumped to his feet, following him.

His worn-out sneakers didn't make a sound against the concrete floor that led outside of the basement floor.

The first floor was a lot more decorated, as the tiled floor stretched far to both sides, but they went out the front door.

The sunlight hit Issei's face, making him squint, as he followed Four along a small, bricked way that lead behind the house.

The backside of the giant 3 story house, or rather, mansion, was a big backyard. On one of the sides it had a fountain, surrounded by a lush green grass, while on the side there was a parking spot, that had a driveway coming from the far side of the backyard.

Four stopped by the fountain and turned around, while Issei remained standing a few feet away from him.

''You completed the objective of your first job, and that was simply expected. No praise for that.'' – Four spoke, as he threw the cigarette down at the ground and stepped on it. –''Before we go any further, I need to test a few things.''

Issei's eyebrows raised a bit, as he stood with the same apathetic expression on his face.

Four sighed. –''I really hate talking with you. It's like talking with a wall, but only worse, because a wall is usually soothing to look at...your expression is simply pathetic.''

Issei shrugged. He was used to ridicule.

''I will test your combat abilities. Cowardly killing someone who can't fight isn't anything hard. It's the opposite, really.'' – Four said, sliding his hands into his pockets. –''Come at me.''

Issei's looked at him. Four was in a relaxed position. He didn't see Issei as a threat at all.

Issei kicked off, closing the distance between them in a matter of a second. His fist raised up, in a regular boxing guard, as his feet spread apart, shoulder width. His first few jabs went upwards, as there was a foot and a half between them, trying to reach Four's jaw.

He missed everything, as Four hadn't moved an inch.

Issei slid back, and stepped back in with a right cross at his chest. It was half-way towards Four's chest, when he was kicked in the stomach and thrown upwards.

Saliva splattered from his mouth, as he was elbowed in the face.

With a small thud, he fell to the grass and rolled backwards, clutching his stomach, as blood dripped from his nose. A second later, he rose up and got into a stance again, this time getting a running start.

He threw a few jabs, and hooks, that were all dodged with a millimeters precision, but Issei nimbly pushed closer to Four and sprung up, trying to uppercut the man.

Of course, that failed, as Four grabbed Issei's wrist, jerked him upwards, and threw him down at the ground.

Issei's back hit the ground, taking his breath away, but he insisted on rising up.

Four made a ''tch'' sound with his mouth and kicked Issei in the face, as he was in the middle of raising up.

Everything went double, as he heard ringing sounds in his head.

While Issei was slightly out of it, Four grabbed him by the collar and raised him into the air, with one hand. –''How fucking light are you?''

He shook Issei, who looked downwards, avoiding eye-contact.

''Seriously...I'm starting to regret taking someone so useless under myself.'' – Four said.

Issei squirmed, and swiped his hand upwards, as Four leaned his head back, avoiding a dark blade.

He released Issei's collar and jumped back, as Issei dropped on his feet and created a few knives in his left hand and flicking his wrist.

Four's eyes widened a bit, as he dodged the flying knives , and caught one of them. His eyes turned away from Issei, as he looked at the knife. It was a simple, black double edged knife with an equally black hilt.

Issei had jumped at him, seemingly while he was busy with looking at the knife, but Issei's eyes widened from surprise, as that same knife blocked the two he was swiping at Four.

Something clanged, something happened, something so fast that Issei's mind could only register it after it had happened, as he was face down in the grass, with a very few shallow cut wounds, and the three knives stabbed into the ground in front of his face.

''Well, that was better, but still pathetic as all hell. I see that you have learned something like boxing, but it is _hooorible_. Your punches have no power, your footwork is terryifing and overall...your face makes everything even worse.''

Issei raised his upper body up, and got into a sitting position.

''Eh...I don't really care, so I'll allow you to take on the missions.''

Issei tilted his head sideways.

''Of course, before you ask...'' – Four grinned, while Issei didn't move a muscle. –''Haha. My ''squad'', we are a bodyguard group. We protect those who need to be protected...Well, that is the cover of our real operations. Without that, we are in the gun trade, drugs and assassinations.''

Issei nodded, in acknowledgment.

''Well, well...you don't even raise an eyebrow to this? What a unfortunate kid you are.'' – Four took out a pack of cigarettes out of his pant's pocket. –''Anyways, I know a bit about your power of being able to spawn knives out of thin air, so I have someone who will help you with that on the way.''

Four put a cigarette in his mouth and sat down on the edge of the fountain, then pulling out a metallic lighter. With a fluid movement, he opened the metallic cover and spun the spark wheel, lighting it. He moved his face closer to the lighter, inhaled a bit, as the cigarette's end began to roast.

He inhaled deeply, and sighed once again. –''There are a few things I have to let you know first, kid.''

Issei, who had been watching Four for all that time, nodded.

''I am the one that you listen to. If I order you to do something, you will do it. Even if I tell you to kill yourself. Got that?''

Issei nodded.

''And I mean that. Take out your damn phone, kid.'' – Four stated, and waited a bit, as Issei took out his phone from his pocket. –''Imagine, situation is that I gave you orders to carry out something, and you do, but now it is impossible for you to escape. What do you do?''

[Kill myself?] – Issei raised the phone towards him.

''No, you moron. You fight, you scrape, you cry and scream, but you don't die. Even if they torture you, you hold on, don't reveal anything and survive...although you don't talk, period, so I don't have to worry about you blabbing.''

There was a silence, as Four smoked. –''How convenient. Now the situation is that I told you to kill yourself out of the blue. What do you do?''

[I do what you ordered.] – The screen displayed a simple text.

''Correct.'' - Four answered. –''At the basics...I am a god to you. You don't deny me anything and you listen to my wishes. As long as you do that...you will be useful.''

Issei nodded again. He knew his worth was nothing, and that made everyone else's worth equivalent to god's, in comparison.

Four was done with the cigarette, and was in the motion of taking another one out,as both of them heard the high-pitched rumbling of a sport's bike. The revving noises went quieter, as it came closer to them, until it almost silenced.

It rolled into the drive-way, until it came to a complete stop at the end of it.

The driver held the bike in place by standing on the ground and took off the black helmet. Her black, slightly messy hair, that had been pressed against the helmet's innards, now ruffled in the wind. Her hair wasn't that long, it was about shoulder length on the back, while on the front her fringe was pushed to the left side, as long bang was running trough between her eyebrow, and it went to the side, as it passed her nose. The sides of her bangs were a bit messy.

She pushed her chelsea boot under the bike and brought down the support leg.

She put the helmet on the steering wheel and took out the keys, spinning them with one of her left fingers. After nimbly climbing off the motorcycle, she turned her gaze towards Four and Issei.

She opened her leather jacket, revealing that she was wearing a simple, white crop top under it, revealing her navel and her outstandingly trained stomach muscle.

She spun the keys and walked over to the two of them.

From a closer distance, he noticed her facial expression. Her eyes were a bit narrow, as if she were slightly squinting, while her face held a curly, but rather lazy, smile. That, coupled with her high eyebrows made her look very smug and foreign.

Four got up and walked over to her, fist bumping each other, as Four walked away, lighting another cigarette. Only then Issei noticed that the women was the same height as Four...that made her tall.

Her gaze turned to Issei, and the smug expression turned a bit lazy, as she expressed her downwards-angled smile.

She stopped by him, and leaned downwards, extending her hand. –''C'mon, Misha, get up.''

Issei observed her. The dark, skin-tight jeans that covered her muscular legs, the uncovered navel and the slight cleavage of her modest breasts, and her face. Her slightly narrow, piercing blue eyes held a hint of curiosity in them.

Issei grabbed her hand, and she pulled him up, without the slightest trouble. Issei could tell she had a good amount of muscle under that leather jacket.

''I heard a bit about you from Four, but you seem to know nothing about me, huh?'' – She asked. Her voice tone was a bit on the rough side, but it was laid-back nonetheless.

Issei nodded.

''Figures. That asshole never does anything apart from bringing everyone's mood down.'' –the blue eyed women spoke. –''Anyways, by the people from this place, I am known as Eighteen, but you can call me Chevis.''

Issei raised his eyebrows a bit and looked to the side for a moment, but Chevis caught that.

''Ara, wondering about the numbers? It's a cover system that Thirteen thought of. You will get one as well, if you don't die.'' – She let out a small chuckle, after covering her mouth slightly with her palm. –''Anyways, I need to go find Thirteen, after that lets meet in your room, yes?''

Issei nodded, and she began to walk away, in a brisk pace, while Issei went to his room, ignoring his rumbling stomach.

Chevis' movement were fluid, as she made next-to zero sound with her boots. The walls, the floor, the paintings, the furniture, everything was in warm colors. The tone of the mansion all together was very reflectent of summer, or life, of something kind.

Exactly opposite of what the mansion was used for.

She had used the staircase to walk up to the forth floor, and she didn't stop, nor knock, when she opened a pair of doors.

It revealed a luxurious room. A king sized bed, giant glass desk, bookshelves, leather chairs, some modern/abstract art paintings and a balcony. Four was sitting inside, stretched out on a leather sofa, holding a cigarette with one hand, and a glass half-filled with a light-brown liquid.

He shot a broody glance at Chevis and returned to staring at the ceiling, as he took a shot from the glass.

Chevis shook her head, as she passed him, and moved on to the balcony. On it, the golden blonde was sitting under a giant sun umbrella. She was wearing a simple, white t-shirt and short jean shorts. The wooden recliner seat had been pushed a bit back, as she held a laptop in her lap, furiously typing something.

''I'm home.'' – Chevis spoke to her, as she leaned against the railings of the balcony with her lower back.

Thirteen's fingers stopped instantly, as she jerked her head up. She looked at her for a second, and then smiled. –''Welcome back. I trust everything went as planned?''

Chevis nodded. –''Let's just say the world is now a single drug-lord clearer, and our bank accounts now are a bit more wider.''

''Good.'' –Thirteen nodded, fluttering her green eyes. –''Did you meet the boy?''

She nodded. –''The kid reminds me of Four a lot, only he doesn't have that obnoxious attitude of his.''

Four grumbled something from the inside the room.

Thirteen looked upwards, and after a small while spoke up. –''Does he even have an attitude?''

Chevis crossed her arms on under her chest. –''Ņot really. He simply is there, silently. He follows orders and he wouldn't disobey...It's odd, for a kid to be like that.''

Before Thirteen could answer, Four walked on the balcony, and leaned against the doorway. –''You women are really dull when it comes to this. He wants to be useful. If I told him to kill himself, he would, because he would be useful that way.''

''Deep-rooted fear of being useless, then?'' – Chevis asked him.

''Yes. We found out a lot about him, by simply reading some documents with his psych-evaluation. He was pretty good in school, but then again, primary school doesn't fucking count for smarts. Something happened. Something, I don't know what, but something happened and that day the kid killed his step-father, and watched his mother kill herself by hanging.''

''How did he kill his step-father?'' – Chevis asked once again, after listening.

''He shattered a bottle of vodka against the backside of his head, and while he was out of it, he slashed his face with a knife and then stabbed the fuck out of him.'' – Four let out a small chuckle. –''He then proceeded to watch as his mother hanged herself, and then sat in the corner of the kitchen and stared at the wall, until some poor women saw the window that was splashed with blood and called the police. It made a nice, little outrage in japan, you know. Imagine that ,a kid who killed his parents, and didn't show an ounce of remorse for that.''

''When was he adopted?''

''He was left at the orphanage since birth, adopted at barely 1 year old. Never knew his real parents, never searched for them, never wanted to know. His parents were 16 at the time, so I assume they were too young to take care of him, and assumed that putting him up for an adoption would be the best option.''

Silence, then Four laughed, but the humor escaped Chevis.

''Anyways, after killing his step-parents, the kid spent 9 months in the loony-bin, and that is where most of the information comes from. He didn't talk even then. He lost his voice right after he killed. He wrote a bit for the psychologist, and there he reveals very little, but if you put together all the bits and pieces, his step-parents obviously abused him.''

''I see. Childhood abuse often creates serial killers, so it makes sense.'' –Chevis nodded, looking downwards, thinking about something.

''Well, it doesn't end there. After 9 months, he killed himself in his room, after having stolen out a knife from the lunch-cart, by slitting his own throat.''

''Obviously not true.'' – Chevis sighed, looking Four in the eyes, who grinned. –''So, who took him?''

''That's the thing. Thirteen asked him to write about what happened after that, and he wrote that it was the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, but that is bullshit as well. The kid was pulled into war-zones, mainly the middle-east, Syria, Iran, you know the deal. As an eleven year old. The other child-soldiers he worked with were not from Japan.'' -Four sighed. -''Japan doesn't have child-soldier rings.''

''Our little union recovered him, right? So, were there any other survivors of the team he worked in?''

''He was found dehydrated, with major-blood loss and without a weapon. His uniform was a regular camouflage, but it lacked any ways of identification. No tags, no emblems, no nothing. His dogtags has only a name, a date of birth and blood type. Almost 15 miles from his found location, a few days earlier a giant explosion had happened in a nearby village.''

Chevis exhaled, perplexed. –''So the kids were basically sent in as some kind of martyrs? If they succeeded, they succeed, if not, they die, and no one could ever identify who they were?''

Four grinned, and pulled out another cigarette, lighting it. –''Indeed. Issei wrote that all of them were murderers of some kind. Basically worthless psychopaths, let loose in the middle-east to kill. How suitable.'' – Four exhaled deeply, while Chevis frowned.

''Oh, one more thing. The explosion, that I mentioned earlier, was given out as an accident with highly-explosive materials, but a spy we sent found traces of magic and demonic power.''

Chevis' previous rather-relaxed gaze turned cold. –''So it was devils?''

''Yes. Can you work with this?''

Chevis frowned, once again. –''Yes, I can. I will make him into a worthy person.''

''Listen, Chevis.'' – Thirteen spoke up, after a long while of silence. –''The kid is extremely malnourished. He is 150cm tall and weights 35kg. This is abnormal... I suspect his problems go far beyond just being unable to talk.''

Chevis sighed deeply, once again. –''I see. Don't worry, I will build him up from the ground up.''

''Don't be too kind with him. If you do, he will cling to you and never let you go. If you become the only light, the only person who has ever given him a sliver of love and compassion...it will not end well.'' – Four spoke, up, with narrow eyes.

Chevis turned to face him. –''...Are you talking from personal experience, Four?''

''Don't go there.'' –He grunted at Chevis and passed her, as he leaned on the railings with his elbows.

''Thirteen, did you get everything I asked of you?'' – Chevis asked.

''Of course. It's in your room.''

Chevis nodded, and walked outside of the room, shutting the door behind her.

''...I hope we didn't make a mistake with this.'' – Four spoke up, looking at the scattered, white clouds amidst the blue summer sky.

''We'll see.'' – Thirteen responded, continuing to furiously type on her laptop.

* * *

Issei was staring at the wall, as he remained in the corner of the room, waiting for Chevis to arrive.

He didn't really know what to think, as he began to chew on one of his fingernails. From one side, it felt too good to be true, but from the other, would it actually matter if that Chevis women would betray him in the future?

It didn't, so Issei decided on simply trusting the tall woman.

His fingernail snapped, so he spit it out and began to chew on another one, as the door to his room opened.

The tall women came in, without a warning, carrying a guncase in one hand, and a briefcase in the other. Issei pulled his hand back, stopping the nail biting and looked at her, meeting her eyes, for a second, and then he lowered his gaze to the ground.

Chevis smiled gently, as she put the two briefcases on the ground, and sat behind them. She stared intently at Issei, who's gaze met her's a few seconds later. Without breaking eye contact, Issei's dull brown eyes stared at her blue ones, in the silence.

''Misha, come closer.''

Issei raised an eyebrow and shuffled himself closer, out of the corner. He looked down at the two briefcases. He knew what one of them entailed, but didn't about the other one.

She pushed the weapon-case towards him. Issei looked at ther, and when she nodded, he looked at the dial-lock, noticing the code had already been put in, so he unclipped the two metallic clasps and opened it.

The first thing that caught Issei's eyes were the metallic parts, that were strapped on top of the black, ribbed foam. It was obviously an assault rifle.

''It is yours now. You supposedly were in the army, so you used a riffle with a 5.56mm ammo, yes?'' – Chevis asked, as she observed Issei's reaction.

He nodded and began to unclasp the parts.

''Good. This other briefcase contains ammo and other things for your rifle.'' She stated, and then continued to talk. - ''Your main weapon is a knife. Mine is as well, but an assault rifle works better in tight situations.''

Issei nodded once again, in acknowledgment about the pros and cons of knives, as he began to slip the parts together. It was easy to understand. Almost like lego, only the finished work would be more deadly.

It was only about 6 parts, as Issei slid the barrel into the upper receiver, pushed a metallic lever and spun it to the side, slapping it upwards. The simple, metallic tri-rail hand guard slid onto the upper receiver's front without problems, as it connected into the two notches on both sides. The bolt carrier dropped into place as easily as the other parts.

Then he put the upper receiver down on the foam inside the gun case, and took the stock and conjoined it with the lower receiver, that required only a single pin to be pushed back.

With a satisfying click it was secured, and Issei then joined the lower and upper receiver together. At first, only a part in the middle connected, but then Issei banged the upper receiver downwards a bit, and it connected with the lower receiver at the stock, and it was finished by sliding another pin inside.

Issei looked at it, in it's finished form, and his eyes widened a bit. Chevis caught that reaction and spoke up, after a while of silence, as he had put together the assault rifle. –''Do you recognize the model?''

Issei placed the weapon into the case and brought out his phone, typing away at it. He brought it up, as Chevis leaned closer to read.

[No. But is very similar to the M4.]

''Yes, it is. This is the Magpul Masada. Made as a replacement for the M16 as a better, more versatile version of it. Do you like it?''

[Don't know. Have not shot it yet.]

Chevis let out a small chuckle. –''You will, tomorrow. At the moment ,there are far more important things to talk about.''

Issei's ears perked up, as his attention went undivided at Chevis, unlike before, when he was staring at the rifle.

''C'mon, get up.'' – Chevis gestured with her hand, and Issei did. She stood up, and and stepped over the guncase. She stopped in front of Issei, and looked down at him. She leaned downwards and grabbed the bottom part of his black t-shirt.

Issei didn't protest, as she pulled the shirt over his head.

His gaze lingered at the floor, as Chevis looked at his body.

Skin and bones. The little semblence of muscle was nothing to write home about, as his ribs were poking out trough the skin. But even without the malnourishment, it was pretty bad. The scars over his body were quite severe. A recent long cut on his lower abdomen had been torn a bit, as some of the stiches hanged half-pulled, and a small amount of dried blood had formed around the wound.

Cuts, tears, bullet wounds, stabs, burns and...cigarette burns. Old scars.

Everything else, including the botched work of stiches could be attributed to serving in the ''army'', but those couldn't. They were too old, too circular and too alike to be anything else.

Chevis' eyes, that were previously quite curious turned a bit dark, as she decided to concentrate on the task at hand. - ''Misha, do you dislike eating?''

He shook his head.

''Then why don't you eat?''

Chevis asked, having heard the grumble of his stomach in the silence between them.

Issei grasped at his phone, tried to write something, but he stopped suddenly, and grasped his phone with one hand,as his arm flexed and he began to simply crush the phone in his hand.

Chevis observed with an unreadable expression on her face.

A few seconds later, he brought the phone up, deleted the message and rewrote it. His hand jerked, as he tried to extend it.

He was very reluctant, that much was obvious, but then he looked down at the floor and raised the phone screen at her.

[Am I allowed to?]

Chevis froze up for a second. –''You...when was the last time you ate?''

[Yesterday morning, before I was picked up by Four and Thirteen.]

There was silence, and then a loud, audible ''thump'' sound, as Chevis had grabbed Issei by his bony shoulders and smacked his forehead with her own. Their faces remained touching, as Chevis closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and spoke. –''Are you an idiot?''

Issei had frozen up completely from this gesture. A woman was gently holding him, and it was puzzling, as he held his usual straight face, staring at the floor.

''Good grief.'' – She leaned her body back up, and released her grasp of his shoulders. –''Come, I'll make something to eat. I'm hungry as well.''

* * *

The kitchen was a half-closed style room that combined with a living room. The marble counter tops glistened in the sun rays, coming from the open windows, that brought in the fresh air of outside, mixed with a hint of nostalgia.

The electronic stove in front of Chevis had a pan on it, in which eggs and chicken were cooking. The rice cooker on the counter top next to her gave out a quiet rumble.

Issei sat at the table and glanced at her from time to time, as he waited. He kept swallowing his saliva, as the cooking aroma and sound of cooking chicken breast and eggs was making him almost squirm in his seat.

Chevis hummed, as the rice cooker made a chiming sound, but she remained at the pan, turning around the chicken breasts, as she spoke up. –''Go get the rice, Misha, I'm not a maid, you need to help as well.''

Issei reluctantly went over to the rice cooker and opened it. The fumes assault his face, as he pulled back. His nose almost comically twitched, as he inhaled the appetizing smell.

He looked around, and not seeing any bowls, assumed that they were in the cupboard above him...only he couldn't reach them with his small wing-span.

He was about to spin around and take a chair to climb up it, but Chevis stood behind him, and reached over him. She was easily able to reach it, with him in front of her.

She placed the two bowls in in front of him, but that left Issei frozen again, for a small bit, as she had brushed her arms against Issei's shoulders.

She returned to her work, without saying a word, as Issei moved the rice into the bowls with a fork he had created.

He placed the two bowls and the forks he had created on the table. A small while later, Chevis had put everything else she had made on the table, including two glasses of juice.

Now that both of them were sitting at the table, overlooking the meal.

''What? You can start to eat.'' – Chevis smiled, as she took the fork in her hands.

Issei looked at the food, then at her, and put his hands together, lowering his head.

''Ah-!'' – her face lit up, as she understood. –''Did you do that Japanese ''itadakimasu!'' thing?''

Issei, a bit flustered, nodded.

Chevis grinned, and began to eat, but observed the way Issei did it. He ate fast and rowdy, not taking his time at all. He was eating like an animal, in fear of someone else taking his food. She sighed, understanding.

Physical abuse, mental abuse...and starving.

Issei had finished eating way faster than her, and thus he took his plates and went to wash them. Chevis finished her plate, and let out a big yawn. When she opened her eyes, after the yawn, she noticed her plates were missing, and Issei was scrubbing them as well.

''You don't need to clean my plates, Misha. I didn't ask you for that.'' – Chevis stated, looking at Issei's back.

He shrugged.

The only thing heard was the running water and plate chime. He finished washing them, and put them on the edge of the sink to dry.

While he took a towel to dry his hands, he leaned against the counter-top. Chevis did the same. –''Listen, you can come to eat any time you want. You can use the equipment here, the food here, anything here. You are allowed to...and you have to.''

Issei shot a small glance at her.

''My god...Listen, I order you to eat at least 3 good meals a day. Understood?''

Issei nodded.

''Good.'' Chevis smiled

Silence set once again, but Chevis was thinking. She knew that Issei had a backwards kind of thought process, and thus, she decided on asking basic things, that normal people would have no problem with. –''Do you have any questions?''

Issei looked to the side, at her, and nodded.

''Do you think you need permission to ask questions?'' – She asked, her eyes pulling a bit narrower.

He nodded again, this time not looking at her.

''Fine. Ask me anything you want.''

Issei pulled out the phone, as now only the small claps against the plastic glass were heard. He was about to give the phone to Chevis, who moved closer, next to him, and simply looked at the screen from above.

[How do you know Japanese so well? How does everyone of you know Japanese?]

Thirteen was of an Asian descent, but Four and Chevis were not Japanese, not even close, and that much was obvious by a single glance.

''I'm actually from Europe, but I spent a long time abroad in Japan. There I learned to speak it.'' – She answered, nonchalantly. –''Don't know about the rest.''

Issei deleted that message and typed in a different one.

[Why do you call me ''Misha''?]

She let out a small chuckle before answering. –''It means ''a bear cub'' in Russian. My first impression of you was a small, grumpy cub.''

Issei's eyebrows raised a bit...and he smiled. Almost unnoticeable, but he smiled. His face quickly moved downwards, as he deleted the message.

[Where are we?]

''Oregon, USA.'' – Chevis smirked. –''You will need to learn English.''

[I know a bit.]

He couldn't help but pick up bits and pieces of English while he was working with mostly English-speaking people.

''_Ah, then let's go, I need to train you a bit_.'' – She spoke, in clear English.

Issei understood most of it, as he turned to the sink, looked at the dry forks...and made his created disappear.

Chevis froze on the spot.

It wasn't that Issei had created forks...it was the fact that he created something that wasn't a blade.

''...Misha, your skill isn't to only create blades, right?''

Issei avoided her gaze...and nodded.

* * *

_Author's notes._

_A few things to be noted are that this is going to be slow, fleshed out start. It will not jump into the current timeline, but it will groove into it. There will be many OCs at start, but that will move out of the way as time goes on and we will move into the ''current'' time line. _

_...I will probably do a ''Character bio list'' for the ocs and current Issei. _

_Malnourishment is one hell of a thing._

_Did anyone catch what I did? This Issei's parents made him when they were 16. The canon Issei's parents look about 40 or so, that meant they were in their twenties when they made canon Issei. This Issei doesn't have the Boosted gear._

_...Do you get what I am tellling you? _

_pfft~~~_

_Fluff of Chevis. A tall, powerful mother figure. Or not. We'll see._

_Fluff, fluff, everyone._

_Choke on the beautiful fluff._

_Thank you for reading, and please leave a review._

_ps. Not going to be yaoi for obvious reasons._


	3. Legends of Godsmiths

The midsummer sun burned brightly in the ocean blue sky. Not a single white cloud be seen. The only way to hide from the killer heat was to find a shade. That was exactly what the woman named Chevis was doing.

They were in the wild, near a forest. A small river was flowing a few tens of feet away, making a silent, yet persistent sound, a background noise, that was more alluring than annoying.

The brown-haired boy, dressed only in brown shorts was pushing rounds into a magazine. With ease of repeated action, he quickly finished, spun his Magpul rifle around and pushed the magazine inside it and flipped the safety.

He knelt, pressed the stock against his shoulder, touched the button above the trigger, hearing a quiet click, as a single bullet was pushed into the chamber. His eyes narrowed, as his finger pulled the trigger, holding it for a millisecond.

The sound echoed trough the forest. First, the sound of an automatic rifle shooting the bullets, although muffled slightly, because a suppressor was put on the barrel end, and second, the sound of those bullets hitting the metal targets in front of him.

Chevis' had good eyes. She saw where Issei could hit the targets with no problems. Her eyebrows raised slightly, as she noticed that the boy hadn't missed a shot in the hour or two he was shooting. Of course, he didn't hit the targets perfectly in the middle, but rather he shot for the head.

''Misha. Soldiers are trained to shoot for center mass.'' - She said, walking out of the shadow, closer to Issei, after he had emptied the clip, hitting the metallic targets that were put up at varying distances.

He lowered the gun, flipping on the safety. His phone was lying in the grass, and was hot-to-touch from the sunlight. His nimble fingers finished the message very quickly.

[If you are able to hit your opponents in the head it will always be a lot more deadly. I can hit the head.]

She smirked slightly. –''If you can, then of course, I'll allow it.'' – After saying that, she stepped back into the bliss that was the shadow. She could see the sweat dripping down Issei's body, mincing his hair together, but he wasn't complaining at all. In fact, he didn't even seem bothered by the heat.

Although knowing him, he wouldn't complain even if he was dying.

He reloaded, starting the whole process again, as Chevis' mind wandered back to the ''conversation'' they had a day before.

_[I can create small things, as long as they are metal, and I understand how them.]_

_He had written in his phone. Chevis narrowed her eyes, looking from above. Issei's dull eyes were hidden behind his messy brown hair. _

''_How can you ''create?'' _

_He waited. His fingers twitching, as he tried to think. She had found it weird, that he was stumbling so much with something he understood himself. _

_[I have a state of mind that allows me to create things from metal. I can store those things that I create inside that place, and pull them when I need them.]_

_This time, she froze. That wasn't a skill to create blades. It wasn't ''Sword Birth''...it was more akin to a blacksmith. _

''_That's very interesting.'' – She said, reaching for her boot. She pulled out a short knife. It's handle was plastic and ribbed, while the blade itself was scratched and worn. She handed it to Issei, who took it, unsure. _

''_Can you create another one like it?''_

_He stood, looking downwards, holding his phone with one hand, the knife with other. He nodded, and put the phone into his pocket, grabbing into the knife with his other hand._

_His eyes closed. All of his muscle froze, his breathing became quicker, and Chevis, with her sharpened senses could hear his heartbeat become heavier. _

_After a minute, his eyes opened, and he grasped for air with his other hand. After his fingers closed on seemingly nothing, he was holding another knife in his other hand. _

_He outstretched his arms to Chevis, who took the two blades, and raised them up, next to each other. _

_The blade Issei had created was different. It was the same length, but the angle was a bit off. The shape was almost the same, the guard was exactly the same, but the handle was not plastic. It was metal. _

''_Why didn't you create the grip in plastic?'' _

_He raised his phone. _

_[I can't create plastic. Only metal.]_

_She sighed. Would that mean he has affinity for metal?_

_Issei lowered his head even further , seemingly in shame, and made the knife disappear from her hands. _

It was interesting. The boy had a sacred gear that made him a blacksmith. Not a talented one, unfortunately. But...he spoke of a place where he stores them. It couldn't be a different, alternative dimension...so that meant he mentally stores them.

Issei had shot out another magazine, and so Chevis simply took out two small bottles of water from a bag that was laying next to tree, in which's shade she was hiding.

''Enough.'' – She ordered. –''Disarm, and place the weapon in the shade''.

He nodded, pressing a button next to the trigger, allowing the empty magazine to slide out. Holding the gun with one hand, and a box of ammo, on top of which an empty magazine stood with the other, he went into the shade, placing them both against the tree.

Chevis threw him the water bottle.

''Drink it all. In this heat, it's dangerous to dehydrate.'' – She stated, and began to drink the water herself, and so did Issei.

She stepped outside of the shadow, and took off her white tank top. Only a sports bra and small shorts remained on her body, except for the large silver cross hanging around her neck.

Issei's eyes widened under his drenched hair, as he noticed even more of her scars. By her collar bone, and just under her breasts. Her arms were scarred quite severely as well, but that he had noticed a lot earlier.

''Now. I know you can throw knifes well, but if your fighting with them is self-learned like your hand-to-hand, then...it's sad.''

Without a warning, she was already inside of Issei's guard. The way her body shifted as she swiped her slender, but powerful arm upwards was so beautiful and elegant...

That Issei forget to dodge. He remained standing, staring at her, blissfully unaware.

Blood splattered, as a single vertical line appeared, spanning from his lower chest to his collar bone. Chevis' arm came downwards, in a similar pattern, as his mind kicked into gear.

He heard the usual sound of creaking metal. The knife that had touched his body before.

_He understood it. _

It was made with a slight, slight upwards curve at the tip of it's blade, making the wound wider, and easier for the one wielding it to pull out the guts of the prey. It was made from a good, refined metal. It wasn't a copy, it wasn't manufactured. It was crafted by hand with sweat and love. A weapon made to kill. The handle of it previously wasn't plastic. It was leather, from an animal killed by the creators own hand. Under the now plastic handle, the blade's name was inscribed.

To inscribe one's name was a thing only the good blacksmith should do. To give a name to a weapon you have created would mean to breathe life into it. A regular weapon isn't worth it. A name.

And thus, all of Issei's weapons have no names. They are nameless weapons, for a nameless wielder. For him.

The world that had came to halt for Issei, unfroze, as he felt the burning of the hot coals come into his blood. Before the knife could strike Issei in the head, he crossed his arms above his head, hearing the dull sound of a knife crash against his two.

The two, that appeared in his hands.

His only two knifes he could call worthy. One was black, the other was white. Color in his blacksmithing was easy, as he only needed to think about the color he wanted, and it would be in that color. Both of the knifes were a mirror's image of each others. The handles were a bit longer than a normal knife, with warped metal for a grip. The blade was double-edged, one side slightly curved inwards, while the other was completely straight. It had no guard...and the finish, although it was in color, was rough.

These two blades...were his own. They were not copied...they were a blade he had made hundred times over, trying to make a perfect weapon.

His foot buckled, him being pushed into the ground by Chevis' single arm. She grunted, trying to push trough his guard, but Issei turned one his blades sideways, pushed her strength to the side, as he himself stepped backwards.

However, she relentlessly pursued. Her knife was blocked a few tens of times by Issei, but she got trough. Her arm moved sporadically, with no real intent, but it was deadly.

Sparks flew, as Issei had stepped forwards. Her eyes widened slightly, as Issei swiped one of his knives upwards, while the other brushed against his arm, coming at an different angle. Chevis easily dodged, as Issei released the knife midair, flicked his wrist and changed his grip. Now, coming with the black blade from upwards like a stab, and from the bottom as a swipe motion, his eyes narrowed, his bloodlust kicking in, finally.

Chevis' arm slipped between the attack like a thrown spear, stabbing him in the shoulder. The grip on his black knife disappeared, as she caught it.

_She took his knife. _

Before his brain could even register to make it disappear, it was already coming down with all her might.

His arm, from years of training, came upwards to block, with the white blade.

_DONN._

The sound of shattering metal entered his ears, making him cringe. The two blades he had created to be a pair, one was betrayed by another.

His black blade drew another line into his chest, as he fell at the ground, landing on his ass, his arm still holding into the broken knife's handle.

Before he could even react, he was kicked in the face, throwing him backwards, over the grass.

At the final roll of his body, he raised his arm, flicking the wrist, as a few dark throwing knifes flew at Chevis' face, chest, legs and stomach. Issei knew she would use his knife, so he made it disappear from her hands.

...that wasn't the case. As his knife disappeared from her hand, she raised her own, that was being held hidden behind her back, deflecting the throwing knifes into various direction.

''Bad.''

Issei was bleeding, having two major cuts, and many smaller ones on his body. His shoulder was pulsating, but he didn't say a word, as Chevis came closer and lowered her hand.

He had raised his hands in defense, but she simply smiled bitterly. –''I won't hurt you.''

Issei hid his eyes and grabbed into her un-lady-like hand. It was calloused.

''But...it's not unsalvageable. You have the reflex. You have the bloodlust.'' – Chevis sighed, with a small smile. –''Come, I'll treat you, or you'll get an infection under this scolding hot sun.''

* * *

In the shade, Chevis was using a needle to close up the two biggest slashes across his chest. He remained with a poker face, as she stabbed trough his skin.

''...I'm sorry if I was too harsh. When you get to an acceptable height and weight, then you will be more suitable to fight me.''

He fidgeted, reaching for his phone.

[What is a suitable height?]

''Above 180cm.'' – she responded. –''Your balance is not affected that much, but you still have the advantages of good reach and mass.

[I won't be that tall.]

She ruffled his hair, with her free hand. –''I'm sure you will, if you eat well. Besides, if you don't...that will work as well. You will just need to train harder. ''

Issei remained with a pokerface, looking in the distance, over the rustling tree leaves.

''It's beautiful, isn't it? This place. I come here often, to train.''

[I dislike forests.] – He had typed in his phone, after a minute or two of looking.

''Why is that?'' – Her glance gave away her mild curiosity.

[I buried too much people in them.]

''Ah.'' – She sighed, looking at the sky, as she criss-crossed the end of Issei's wound, and pulled the string out of the needle. –''I did that too, but it doesn't hinder me from enjoying the view. It relaxes me, to be honest.''

Issei of course didn't answer, while Chevis put away her first aid kit.

As she did that, Issei walked over to the small river, stepping in. The rushing water reached only to the middle of his tibia bone. He exhaled. The warm water felt cold on his overheated skin. He swiped back his sweaty, sticky hair, that was a bit overgrown, and looked back, hearing a splash of water.

Chevis was also standing in the middle of the small river...on her tall frame it looked more like a puddle, than a river...but she seemed to be enjoying herself. She spun on one leg, turning her back to him.

His eyes zero-ed in on the tattoo on her back. A crumbling cross, around it was a wolf, as if protecting it.

It was obvious that the women in front of him was some-kind of a mercenary. She had the expertise, knew how to handle a gun. The way she moved, the way she fought showed him that she was more than just a mercenary.

She was an elite...with a heavy burden on her shoulders.

Or something like that, Issei thought. Her piercing, heavenly blue eyes turned back at Issei, who lowered his glance before eye contact.

He fiddled with the black ring on his finger, as he glanced at his feet, turning his attention away from his thoughts. The small rocks, lodging themselves into his feet felt good.

Chevis ruffled his hair with one hand. ''Come on, Misha. Let's go back.''

* * *

Issei climbed off the back of the motorcycle. Removing the helmet from his sweaty hair, he felt...uncomfortable in giving it back to Chevis. He had dirtied it with his sweat.

She however snatched it away before he could mull it over any further.

''Go take a cold shower, eat and well train later.''

Issei nodded, and turned to walk away.

Chevis sighed, taking out the keys of her motorbike. She spun them around her finger, looking up to the mansion in front of her.

Her ''home''.

The sun was already setting, after the day was spent sparring, shooting and then a small knife fight, to measure Issei's ability in dangerous situations. Of course, even if the injuries seemed painful, she avoided anything critical or dangerous, so the wounds Issei had received were just big flesh wounds.

She climbed off the bike, as she felt the disgusting smell of smoke from a mile away. Turning her head, she spoke to Four. –''Don't smoke in my presence, if you come to speak with me. I thought I told you that already.''

He sighed, inhaling heavily, finishing the cigarette in his hand in a single breath. He threw the end of it to the ground, to which he heard a ''tch'' sound from Chevis. He was wearing the same slacks as yesterday, only now his shirt was unbuttoned, showing off a bit of his sixpack. It was too hot outside, even for him.

He tilted his head sideways. –''Did something happen?''

''Mhm.'' – She said, turning her back. –''Let's go somewhere quieter.''

After an uneventful walk, in which they walked over to backyard and sat down on the edge of the fountain, Chevis began to speak.

''Kid's Sacred Gear isn't a ''swordbirth''. People with it simply create swords with magic...they shape themselves, as random swords...he...kind of blacksmiths them.''

''The fuck does that mean?'' – Four replied, putting his hands into his pockets.

''He copied my knife.'' – Chevis responded, raising her head into the air.

''Then he copies? Probably a type of swordbirth then.'' – He answered, seemingly completely disinterested.

''He didn't copy it. It was flawed. He told me he can ''copy'' a knife, or a weapon...but as long as it's metal, and as long as he can ''understand'' it...whatever that means.''

He froze up. Four actually froze up, touching his face. –''If it's what I think it is... .Can't be...''

''What?'' – Chevis asked him, in a tone that sounded rather agitated. –''Explain.''

''There are a few ''blacksmith'' sacred gears. True blacksmith...those talented individuals...in the past...actually forged a good bit of the holy and demonic swords...the swords of the legends that are forever sharp...are made by these blacksmiths. People speak that they have strong affinity for blades, or whatever weapons they like to create.''

''Now that you mention it, the kid had two knifes he created from nowhere...odd knifes. Knifes that I have never seen in my life.'' – Chevis spoke up. –''...Their shape, I mean.''

Four sighed, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. –''Nah, it can't be...people with sacred gears who created holy and demonic swords...were called ''**Godsmiths''**. The kid is pathetic and untalented, no way he has it.''

Chevis' eyes narrowed, as she looked at Four. –''What other special abilities do these ''godsmiths'' have?''

''They have a world of their own, inside of their heads.'' - Suddenly, from behind their backs, a youthful, girly voice was heard.

Four grunted.

''Ah. Aya. You're back.'' – Chevis said, as the small girl jumped at her, hugging her.

It was a short, petite girl with white hair, pulled into twintails. A cute face, emerald green eyes, thin lips, slightly triangular, arched eyebrows, wearing short jean shorts, a white graphic t-shirt with an obscure anime reference.

''I missed you.'' – She said, kissing Chevis on the cheek, who pushed her off.

''...Yes. Supposedly, these people have a world of their own, inside of their head...there are a few legends about godly blacksmiths who simply appear all over the past, destroying attackers...by bringing them away...to a different world. One filled with burning metal rivers, covered in thousands of weapons...although they are old legends...unconfirmed legends.'' – Four said, as he smoked, but then he got up. –''I'll go talk with Thirteen. I'm about 95% sure Issei isn't one of the ''Godsmiths''. Don't get your hopes up...Chevis.''

They both stared each other in the eyes, before Four turned his head away and walked off.

Aya snuggled close to Chevis, dangling her slim legs over the edge, while Chevis was leaning against her knees with her elbows, her feet strongly pressed against the ground.

''So, how did it go?'' - Chevis spoke up, after a small while of silence. –''No problems?''

''We killed them and took the money...all for ourselves...those people were rude to me...and when one of the old guys touched me, Kai snapped...''

Chevis sighed. –''You're a hacker...you shouldn't kill those people, you know.''

''I couldn't help it...they broke the deal we talked about anyways...wanting me to gain a whole minute of time...fucking asinine.''

''Don't swear.'' – Chevis reprimanded her, like an older sister.

Aya blushed. –''Of course, if you tell me to.''

Chevis let out an amused chuckle.

''Anything new?'' – She asked, smirking with a blush.

''I got a new kid to teach.''

''Ara?'' – Aya sounded surprised. –''I don't like that.''

''Don't try to do anything with him.'' – Chevis' eyes narrowed.

''He's that weak?''

''No. He will kill you if you try to do one of your jokes. He can't differentiate between real and fake threat...he will return the intent with full force...and seeing as you can't fight for yourself...'' – Chevis sighed. –''...Anyways, he's different than most...so please don't abuse him.''

''Hmmph.'' – She crossed her arms on her chest, acting like a classic tsundere. –''If you ask of me like that, I have no choice...not like it matters right? This kid is going to die soon anyways...like the rest of 'em.''

Chevis looked at the sky...if Issei was indeed a ''godsmith'', would that change his fate?

* * *

The ice cold water made him shiver, as he clenched his jaw. Chevis said to take a cold shower, so that was what he was doing. He didn't use any soap or shampoo, he simply let the ice cold water wash over him. For him to use soap would be to waste it.

After ten minutes, he decided to stop wasting water and got out. He wiped himself off with black t-shirt he had worn earlier, and put on some other random clothes.

He looked in the mirror that was above the marble sink. The tall mirror reflected himself. His dull brown eyes, his forever-poker face, his messy, wet hair that reached over his eyes, and on the back, almost over to his shoulders.

He avoided his own glance and exited the room, after throwing the wet clothes into a basket.

Hiding his dull eyes behind his wet hair, he entered the kitchen, but froze in the archway to it. A very tall and muscular man was standing by the counter-top, with his back turned to him.

Issei understood if he was an enemy to fight in a straight-up fight with fists or knifes, he would lose. Now, however, he could win. His eyes narrowing under his hair, he raised his right arm. A black knife appeared in it, without a sound.

Raising his hand over his head, he imagined the knife being in the person's neck. In his mind, he heard the sound of it connecting with his spine, he saw the blood splatter, he knew he would not miss the throw.

Before he could throw it, his arm was grabbed and he was stopped. Together with a small thud sound, he felt someone's chin rest on the top of his head.

''Kai is not an enemy, Misha.'' - Chevis said, in a soothing tone.

The man turned around, slurping on noodles. After getting them down his throat, he smiled and raised his hand. –''Yo Chevis.''

The knife in Issei's hand disappeared, as he looked into the man's eyes. They were oval, brown and kind. His long face wasn't scary or intimidating at all. He swiped back his curly blond hair and looked down at Issei.

''Oh, a new kid.'' – He walked over, looking down at him, as Chevis raised her head from Issei's.

He extended his hand downwards. –''I'm Kai. And that's..'' – He raised his other hand towards the doorway, from which a short girl entered. –''Is Aya. We kind of travel together and take on missions. I'm the muscle and she's the brain. Or something like that.''

Issei shook his hand.

He understood almost all of what the man had said in English, and he lowered his head even further, trying to...disappear, most likely. Aya simply observed, and placed her hands behind her back.

''He can't talk.'' – Chevis answered in his stead. –''His name is Issei. Even though he looks scared, he is a seasoned soldier, like you and me.''

Issei noted the fact that he was right about Chevis being a solider.

''I see. Well then, welcome aboard, Issei. Let's eat, shall we?'' – He smiled.

Chevis and him moved for the counter-tops, as Issei froze in place, when Aya suddenly closed in on him. Her slender arms raised, as she touched his face, not caring for the fact that Issei flinched, and she pulled his messy, wet hair back.

Her olive-shaped green eyes met his dull brown. She sighed.

''_Hooooo~_. Chevis, where do you find these broken kids?'' – Her voice wasn't cute anymore. –''I mean c'mon. With those eyes, he might as well be dead. Even I could take him down, he's a skeleton.''

''He is, for now. Do you mind not talking about him like that?'' – Chevis' blue eyes turned ice cold, as they narrowed. –'_'I won't ask twice_.''

''Che.'' – She nodded. –''I'm sorry. Let's get along, shall we, Issei?''

Chevis observed, as Issei's right palm had pulled into a fist and was trembling, however, he pushed past her, not giving her a single glance. He was used to ridicule.

The tall woman made the food, Issei put up the plates and cutlery, and the four of them ate. The girl, that was about his height, named Aya, spoke of her mission, but Issei let it slip by him. His mind was flowing back to thinking about his weapons.

With one of his ''best'' knifes destroyed, he was at a loss. In his mind, he saw the two knives spin. He knew everything about them, but now he knew that the knife was too brittle. He was always improving those two knives. It was like a project, a battle, a learning experience – those two weapons were the only ones he hand't copied. In his mind, he had swords, knives, lances and spears even, but those were all copied – most of them badly, from what he had seen and touched in his days.

''Issei, finished your food.'' - He was pulled out of his thoughts, when an authoritarian sounding voice of Chevis spoke. He nodded, understanding he was simply staring at the desk with a fork in his hand.

He quickly finished his food, downed the glass of water and raised from his seat, to wash his dishes. He walked up to Chevis and took out his phone.

[I'll be in my room.]

She nodded, and like that Issei exited the kitchen.

* * *

Two or three hours had passed after the dinner, as Chevis sat in one of the more vacant rooms of the mansion, accompanied by Thirteen and Four.

''So then...the ''godsmith'' legends, huh?'' – Thirteen smiled, crossing her arms under her large chest. –''I know. Four knows. Aya knows.''

Thirteen's eyes turned to Chevis, who was sitting with her legs crossed. –''Tell me more about the legends.''

''Well, for one, they are legends. The way they work, it doesn't make sense. These ''Godsmith'' legends don't work out because of _time_. The one Godsmith that saved an entire continent from attackers three thousand years ago, the other Godsmith who destroyed entire crusader armies only 500 years ago, and the third Godsmith who waged war against two countries at the same time 1500 years ago, and many more, all over the time, they are described almost the same.'' – Thirteen smiled, glancing into Chevis' eyes with an alluring expression. –''Dark, flowing, almost silver hair, a dark armor, accented with white linning, dark skin and coal-like, black eyes. Most of the legends state that these ''Godsmiths'' almost always wrapped themselves in flowing cloth, usually black. People began to call them ''Godsmiths'' because all of them had a golden cross tied to their waist.''

''Ah, yeah. That. I read about the legends. ''Even though the ''Godsmiths'' who used a thousand weapons in a single fight were absolute savages on the battlefield, the sight of their cloaks flowing in the wind was always seen as heroic, because they always killed for the greater good''. Many believed that the ''Godsmiths'' were a small clan of elite warriors, always training, but they died out sometime around the 18th century.'' - Four, who had previously remained silent, added.

Chevis was thinking. –''So, if we know that these ''Godsmiths'' were just people with that blacksmithing Sacred Gear, then does that mean those people always have silver hair and black eyes, dark skin?''

''Yes...Anyways, the chance of him, of all people, being a ''Godsmith'' is very small. No need to even consider it.'' – Thirteen responded. –''Make him train his blacksmithing as much as he can. Make him improve the power of it. The weapon strength. Everything you can.''

''As you wish.''

Chevis answered, slouching back in the couch she was sitting on.

* * *

Wind. He could hear it.

It was always windy outside of the little shack. A small gap between the slabs of metal let in a bit of light, but the the inside of it always was dazed red, from the burning hot coals in his forge.

His shirt, sticking to his skin, as he felt the scolding hot ooze, wrapping his body in it.

This was - his sanctuary.

The one place where could escape, the one place where he stored his weapons...where he created them.

The walls were littered by weapons. The corners, the floor, the steel desk, everything. The weapons would slowly suffocate him, if he wouldn't stop forging them...but he didn't care.

His eyes focused on the red lava inside of his forge, only a metal handle was sticking out of it. With an metal hammer in one hand, and metal tongs in his other, he took out the blade out.

The room became even hotter instantly, as he had to narrow his eyes from the brightness of the extremely hot, melting metal.

Placing it on the anvil, he gripped the tongs harder, and raised his right arm.

_DON._

As the hammer collided with the burning metal, sparks flew, and the sound of metal hitting metal echoed. Issei enjoyed that sound, and he enjoyed seeing the sparks fly.

_DON._

And thus, he hit the metal over, over and over again, twisting the piece in various directions, as he flattened it. He worked quickly, not allowing the metal to cool down. Only after getting the hoped shape in, he allowed it to cool off for a bit, as he went over to the metal table.

On it, a single broken knife, and a black blade laid next to each other. He knew that his designed was flawed. The blade itself was too fragile, and that was caused by two reasons . One was the fact that the metal he could use was not pure enough, and the other was the double-edged aspect of the knife. If it was Only single-edged, it could be a lot sturdier.

With that in mind, he grabbed the two knives, and threw them into the smelter, that was located in one of the corners of his small room. He sighed, and grabbed the now slightly cooler piece of metal with tongs, and pushed it into the forge once again. He would create those two knives once again, only this time with a single edge, in hopes of creating something worthy.

Or so he thought. Suddenly, the world twisted and bent around him, as he was pulled away from his small room, in the middle of his mind.

He inhaled deeply, his eyes flickering shut and open, trying to see in the true world once again.

Chevis was there, looking down at him from above, as he sat rolled into a ball, in his usual corner of the room.

''What were you doing? You look feverish.'' – She asked, as she touched his forehead.

Of course, his body was burning. The same way his smelter and his forge burned. Drenched in sweat, he wiped his forehead and got up, pulling out his phone.

[Staying in my mind to blacksmith for long puts a toll on me.]

Chevis...let out a sound that was a cross between a growl and a sigh. Issei's eyes widened in surprise.

''I just don't get your Sacred Gear. In your mind...do you have an anvil, a forge?''

Issei nodded.

''How does it look like in there?''

Issei raised his phone again.

[A small room that has all the tools and equipment I need, filled with weapons.]

''What about metal? Iron? Where do you get it?''

[I create it.]

''In your mind?''

[Everywhere.] – Issei lowered the phone, raising his other hand, as a slab of metal of appeared in his hand. He threw it to Chevis, who caught it easily.

She inspected it a bit, but she wasn't a blacksmith. –''Is it good? This piece of metal?''

Issei shook his head, making the metal slab disappear.

It seemed as if she wanted to say something, but those words never crossed her lips. - ''Anyways, I came to you, because I took a mission from Thirteen for tomorrow. We are going to Mexico.''

Issei nodded.

''I want you to pack light-colored clothes like brown, white, yellow, anything of the sort. Another thing, take only your pistol. It will be a day job.''

Issei nodded.

''Good.'' – She smiled. –''Come on now, let's go train for a bit, before going to sleep.''

Only then Issei realized how quickly the day had passed. It was nice?

* * *

_Author's notes._

_Yo. Thank you for reading. The school is ending real soon, and thus I am having a bit of trouble writing consecutively and productively. Sorry about that. Broken Wings will be written in a week? Two? Fuck, I have a lot of work to do with it, I am entering zones of no return to the original plot. _

_About this chapter. ''Godsmiths?'' - I pulled that straight from the depths of my bowels, aka I asspulled that. There have been no such thing in fiction - well, now there is. Think of UBW from Fate, think of my Gilgamesh from Broken Wings. Something like that. I dropped the legend in this story because it will play a big part further into the story. _

_I wrote the final chapter of Broken Wings. It's odd, because I have good 15-20 chapters to go still between that I have not written. Maybe even more. But yes, shit will go down fantastically in that series, I just need to write, write, write and write. _

_Chevis...is a tall women. Aya is a cute weaaboo girl. Kai is a soft-hearted giant, who really dislikes people who hurt his friends. _

_ Aevun Yes, you could say the very start is similar. It won't be any further._

_Please follow, favorite, and leave a review if you enjoyed it, or have any questions!_

_blueprints out.~_


	4. BECOMING MEAN

It was midday. The scolding hot sun burned everyone, and thus most people were hiding. Either indoors, or in the shade, so to see two people run was odd.

Even odder was the fact that the one was running away was obviously not a native. He was a skinny kid, jumping over obstacles, as a large man followed him.

Those who saw it, didn't intervene. The kid obviously had done something to piss the man off, most likely stolen something, and besides that, the one chasing the kid wasn't just someone.

He was obviously a man from a gang. The tattoo'd arm, neck and the jewelry. Wearing the bottom part of the suit in that area was a clear giveaway as well.

Issei remained with a apathetic face, turning into an alleyway, disappearing from the sight. His pursuer followed, as Issei stopped in front of a fence. He turned around, facing the pursuer.

He smirked, taking out a knife from his pocket. He spoke something, that Issei had no way of understanding. He remained poker-faced.

Behind the man, as he was walking closer, someone was approaching, silently.

He didn't notice it, and before he could move closer, the person towered over him, annoyance in her bright blue eyes.

She grabbed his head and twisted it violently. With a crack, the man went limp.

''C'mon, give me a hand.'' - She spoke, as she grabbed the man by his legs, whilst Issei grabbed him the by the arms. They moved him over to the dumpsters, and threw him in.

Closing the lid of the giant trashcan, Chevis looked at Issei, who was still sporting his usual, stone-etched face. Emotionless, uncaring for what had transpired.

''You took too long.'' – She stated, as Issei shrugged.

Their mission was simple. To kill a 3 people that Thirteen had marked and that's it. Nothing else.

It was funny, really. He was in a supposed ''bodyguard'' group, but up until now, he had only killed. What kind of guards were they?

Bad ones, he had to assume.

This was their 3rd target. The first one was killed by Chevis, the second by Issei. The one he had to kill was a woman in her mid-forties. He bumped into her in a busy crossing, merging with crowd, and left a knife right into her heart. By the time the woman fell over, he and the knife was long gone.

Chevis' glanced at her phone, as it began to ring. She opened it, listening to the speaker. Issei observed, as his eyes widened.

The air around Chevis changed. Her eyes became narrow, as she smirked, showing her teeth.

She spoke something in a language Issei's didn't understand. Was it Italian? Spanish, maybe?

She put the phone into her pocket, smiling rabidly. –''Misha...we are going hunting.''

Issei nodded, indifferent.

If the woman who showed him such kindness wanted to kill more people, he didn't mind. He would help, if she asked.

* * *

Night came, the city didn't die down. It seemed quite the opposite, really. Chevis and Issei walked next to each other. Did they look like a mother and a son?

Probably not.

Issei was on the edge. The glances, the gazes...the people around him. What was up with them? Was that part of the town a place of crime?

Unnerving, slight killing intent remained in the air. Issei glanced at Chevis, who was simply smiling, as she walked. She glanced downwards at him and winked.

Issei looked back at the road, indifferent, holding onto the gun that was in the front pocket of his grey hoodie.

As they threaded trough a few alleyways, they arrived at a really sleazy looking apartment. A slightly chubby man stood in front of the doors, acting as a guard. He was smoking a cigarette, and raised his glance upwards to Chevis, when the two of them stopped in front of him.

He asked something in Spanish, as Chevis simply looked at Issei.

''Who, you ask? The harbingers of death.'' – She spoke and made a gesture of a gun with her arm.

While the man was watching Chevis, Issei pulled out the pistol from his pocket and aimed below the mans chin.

''You are looking at the wrong person.'' – Chevis smirked.

_BOOM_.

The chamber ejected the empty shell, as the man's brain splattered the doors behind them. Chevis kicked the dead man away from the door, and then Issei shot out the door's lock.

Issei raised his eyes upwards, as Chevis nodded. –''Don't worry. We want them to know we are coming. This will be a slaughter.''

And thus, Issei rushed into the appartment, creating a knife in his hand. He held it under his right arm, in which the pistol was held.

Chevis pulled a pistol from her boot, as she ran past him, kicking in a door to his left, so he did the opposite, kicking in a door to his right.

A bunch of sleazebags and alcohol smell hit his senses. They were afraid, and rightfully so, as Issei fired without hesitation.

Acting on pure instinct from the battlefield, he opened the doors to next door and jumped to the side at the same time. The empty space was riddled with bullets, and Issei jumped in, headshotting the shooter that held an automatic, Chinese knock-off from the Russian Ak-47.

A woman screamed in horror, as she was received a bullet to her temple.

He cleared the next room in a similar manner, and then he looked at the ground, pondering the purpose of this killing.

What was Chevis after?

That answer came quickly, as someone jumped at him from behind. If not for years on the battlefield, if not for the years of abuse from his step-father, he wouldn't have felt the killing intent, as he lunged to the side.

The attacker punched a wall instead, punching a hole in it.

Was that really human? Issei's thoughts turned to mush as he focused to fight. He fired a few bullets towards it, as he simply continued to move, even with the bullet holes.

He punched at Issei, who dodged a few times and stabbed the man with his knife in the throat.

However, his eyes widened, and he became scared - the attacker still moved, punching down at Issei, who raised his left arm to block.

_CRUNCH._

He was thrown backwards, together with his now broken arm. It went limp at the elbow, as he rolled along the ground, getting up.

His eyes went narrow from the pain, and anger, as he spawned blades in his right arm, flinging them at the attacker. They punctured his skin, remaining in his body, and he chuckled.

''Oh tell me, little boy, why are attacking my drughouse?'' – He laughed, as he came closer and closer.

Issei's heart meanwhile began to beat faster and faster.

So that was end.

He accepted it, as he was kicked in the chest, throwing him against the opposite wall, loosing balance.

''**Crux sacra sit mihi lux!'' –** Issei heard Chevis' voice from behind the person, no, rather demon, attacking him. It was a language unknown to him. The attackers eyes widened, as he spun around.

''An exorcist?!'' – He shouted.

Issei looked at Chevis, his mind going numb, as he observed the sword in her hand. His eyes widened and went bloodshot.

The sword in her hand was not a sword previously. It was the golden cross hanging around her neck. It had transformed into a sword. A sword that had a interesting property...as his mind cracked and creaked, him trying to figure out what it was.

The demon jumped at Chevis with inhuman speed, but she was faster. The attackers head went cleanly off, as she spun around on her heels.

Issei remained dazed, as he observed her elegant movement. His eyes, without his control, again went to her sword, but he was in pain.

''That Misha, was a devil. A true devil.'' – She smirked. –''And I...am a stray exorcist.''

Issei couldn't help but to think that she looked trully holy, with that stance. The golden sword in her hand shone off a briliant daze, enveloping her body in it. Her blue piercing eyes turned serious, as she noticed Issei...not his hand, but his bleeding eyes.

The sword turned into a cross, as she ran up to him.

He passed out, the golden sword spinning in his mind. What was that element to it, that he couldn't comprehend? Why couldn't he understand it? Why did his bring crack and crumble when he tried to ''understand'' the sword?

He dreamed of forging swords on top of a empty field.

* * *

**Three and a half years later.**

* * *

Russia was never famous for its good weather, and the current certainly didn't do that any favors. The darkness of the night, mixed with knee deep snow, as the ice petals whirled in the freezing cold wind.

Complete dead of the night, only the desolated coldness remained. Or it was like that, for while. That solitude was intruded on by an 8 man squad that was rushing downwards a mountain, jumping around trees, and trough the frozen brushes.

Through the pitch-darkness, only the green glow of their night-vision googles remained, leaving lines of green in their wake, like phantoms. All of them dressed in white combat clothes, their guns wrapped in white tape, even their night-vision googles were colored white.

Through the snowstorm, storm incarnated as humans came.

Silencers actually didn't silence guns. They simply made the sound become bearable to naked human ear, but one could take advantage of the surroundings, including weather.

Howling wind, coupled with wet snow and the sound it made as it rushed past naked trees was the perfect cover. One would have to be listening on purpose, to hear that.

Suddenly, they all heard a womanly voice from their ear pieces.

''Sniper, remain back.''

''Roger.''

The response came back, as one of the group, the one furthest back, remained there, dropping into the snow, near a bush.

''We're closing in, don't fire without my permission.'' – The woman spoke, as they were still running trough the blinding darkness, mixing with white. Of course, their destination was right in front of them.

''Four...3 o'clock.'' - A quiet, awkward voice was heard.

Four of the squad at the front raised their guns. The woman, two tall men and a single one who looked short in comparison.

''Fire.'' – The woman spoke, as they shot the four soldiers to their front with perfect accuracy. Three-round bursts each.

Their bodies barely had enough time to hit the snow, as the attacking squad was already jumping and stepping over them, as they moved, unhindered. They were fast and agile, as if the wet snow pooling on their white battle-suits didn't make them heavier.

''Seven to 9, Five to 6!''- A young voice was heard, as they all readied their weapons, the mountain slope coming to an end.

''Zero, Four, take 6 o'clock, others take 9!'' – The womanly voice was heard again, as they split. Four, Eighteen herself, and Zero, the smallest one, diverged to the their 6, while the others rushed to their 9.

''Front.'' – The woman spoke.

''Back.'' – The gruff voice of Four could be heard.

Zero raised his rifle at the middle soldiers, without saying a word

As they came closer, the men, also wearing night-vision, albeit worse ones, noticed them, even through the blizzard.

Without saying a word, the squad of 3 people unleashed hell from their guns, leaving the enemies grated, bleeding from every new orifice they had now had. They ran over their bodies without any hesitation, throwing snow over them. It was the final stretch of the first part of their plan.

In the blizzard, and the green glow of their vision, it was hard to notice the chain-link fence in front, as Zero almost ran into it.

''Fence!'' - He spoke up, hitting into it with his shoulder, throwing off the snow that was clinging to it.

''Jump over, kid!'' – Four shouted, closing in on it, throwing his rifle over, and running up the fence that looked about 16 feet tall. At the top, he jumped over without breaking a sweat, even with the combat gear.

''Misha, go!''

Eighteen, or rather, Chevis, did the same, only flipping over the top, landing in the snow, grabbing her rifle and firing at the nearby guards.

He grunted, chucked his Masuda riffle over the top, as he ran at the fence, jumping and getting a few steps higher, before he had to grab into it and climb up it. The barbed wire at the top punctured his gloves, but he didn't say a word, as he landed in the snow, rolled, and found his assault riffle.

Praying that it would fire, he raised his gun towards the few guards that were left. Acting on pure instinct, he jumped forwards, as a clutter of bullets shot at the place where he was previously, as Chevis killed the enemy that was firing, while he killed a few of the other ones, to his front.

''How is it looking, Aya?'' – Chevis spoke, holding her earpiece.

[Ah, they have yet to alert the base. Go in quickly.]

To their front, taking the blizzard head on was a 5 story building. It was a military base for a small-time militia.

[I'm at the circuits, ma'am.]

One of their other soldiers spoke, through the earpiece.

''Roger.''

They continued towards it, running over a small park, a snow-filled parking spot and they ended up against the end-part of the building – exactly where they wanted to be. After a small while of running, they found exactly what they wanted to find – garage doors. The base had a lot of vehicles, and thus, they were gigantic...and electronic.

''Aya, please.'' – Chevis spoke.

The doors opened, and the light from inside would have blinded the three mercenaries, if not for the fact that pulled their night-visions upwards.

A pair of mechanics froze up on the spot, noticing them. One was about to shout, but a knife lodged into his throat. Another 5 stabbed him in the chest, and the other received one knife in each of his eyes.

Falling over with a thud, ''Zero'' remained standing with his hand in a motion for throwing.

''Good. We couldn't shoot indoors. Not yet, at least.'' – Chevis spoke, opening her white jacket, and taking off the white pants, smeared with a bit of blood.

Issei and Four did the same, throwing off the excess weight. Under the uniform, they were wearing slim, black clothes.

The door behind them closed, as Chevis spoke in her earpiece.

''Operation is a go. Rendezvous at the front, cut the electricity.''

The three people standing amidst military trucks were suddenly pulled into complete darkness. For a small while, as they pushed their night-visions on top of their faces. Looking at each other, they nodded and ran into different directions.

Issei opened a few doors, as he jogged down a hallway, his assault rifle hanging at his side by a strap. He held a long knife in his right arm.

The darkness scares people. Or rather, they are afraid of what lurks within it. And they would be right to be afraid.

Two soldiers, speaking in Russian, were fumbling about. Most likely talking about the shitty weather, and how it always brought down electricity.

Their words cut off mid-sentence, as their blood splattered the walls, Issei jogging past them without batting an eye, only searching for his true target – a young woman, captured, and kept in this military base.

It was really run-down, the military base. The soldiers were weak. Did they really need everyone for this?

''Is...a catch?'' – Issei spoke, quietly, with his broken speech.

[Possibly. Be on guard.]

He heard from his earpiece. Without responding, he continued down the hallways, slaughtering enemies without mercy, as he searched for the correct room.

[I found her!] – A young voice could be heard from the earpiece.

[Good, everyone meet up at the front.] – Chevis' voice could be heard.

Issei turned backwards, turning the corner, before he saw the the sole of a boot coming his way, he leaned his head back, dodging the kick, but his night-vision were kicked off.

Suddenly, only darkness after the green tinted vision. He panicked, his heart beating in his chest, in the ambient silence.

His arm was kicked, his grip disappeared, and his knife went flying.

''Che...'' –He spoke in the earpiece, before than was knocked out of his ear by a punch to his head.

He jumped back, but he was hit in the face again. Then again, and again, and again. His nose broke, a few of his ribs probably cracked, and as he got back, he simply created knives from mid-air, throwing them in the attackers direction.

''Hooo?'' – The attacker hummed. It was...a woman's voice.

He grasped at his side, his stomach was impaled by a knife, that was not his.

Although he did understand the knife. It was a karambit knife. A good knife, seemingly dirty with blood. Although he could not see it, it was slightly larger than most karambit knives. It was odd. Did the woman wielding it liked to use it like a normal knife?

He suddenly jumped to the side, banging his body against the hallway's wall. The woman was holding another one, as it just passed his neck.

The lights came back in, as Issei looked upwards.

It was a woman, dressed in navy blue clothes. She took off her night-vision, cursing a bit. Her unrully red hair was tied in a knot on the back of her head, her blood red eyes piercing Issei's gaze.

Issei collapsed on the floor, holding on his bleeding stomach.

''Wait...'' - The red-haired woman spoke up. –''Are you one of Chevis' kids?''

Issei froze up.

''What? Are you deaf? I asked you a question.'' – She squatted in front of him, pulling on his hair.

He couldn't muster enough strength and braveness to speak, so he simply nodded.

''Ah, shit.'' – She sighed, raising her hands in the air, as Chevis came from one side of the hallway, while Four came from the other side.

''Calm down, I didn't know it was another one of your kids, Chevis.'' – The red haired woman spoke, while Chevis simply moved closer, lowering her rifle.

Four sighed, catching her rifle, as Chevis jumped into a fighting stance, throwing a kick at the other woman. With inhuman reflexes, she dodged and counter-attacked, but that was also dodged, as Chevis jumped into the air, spinning around.

Their fists and legs clashed a bit more, as they fought. If the opponent would be less skilled, it would probably end in death or severe injury, as they took out knives, clashing them.

A minute or two passed, as the red-haired woman disarmed Chevis and pushed her up against a wall, looking upwards into her azure, piercing eyes.

She smirked, but Chevis pushed her leg between her's, and used her bigger frame to exchange places. Now, as the red-haired woman was pressed against the wall, Chevis' eyes narrowed, looking down into her blood-red eyes.

''You know, I always loathe meeting you on the battlefield, you dog.''

''It's hound, you lanky bitch.''

...It was a cat-fight.

Four took out a cigarette, lighted it, and simply observed. –''You know, the kid is probably dying.''

Chevis stepped back, looking at Issei, who was crumpled up on the floor, his back against the wall, clutching his stomach.

She jogged over to him, leaning down, grabbing his face. Her eyes met his, and he tried to look away.

''Nah, he's fine, just bleeding.'' – She sighed, cutting off a sleeve from Issei's black henley shirt.

Once cut off, his arm came into view. It was muscular. If a few years ago Issei would have been called a skinny twig, that had changed. A good diet, and his regular exercise, coupled with fighting on the front lines did wonders for his body.

The red-haired woman, or rather ''dog'' observed his arm, noticing the old scars on his bicep, the cigarette burns on his forearm...and the pararel scars spanning across the bottom-side of his wrist. Obviously self-inflicted cutting scars.

The red-haired woman squatted down, looking Issei in the eyes, snapping her fingers. –''Hey kid, what's 15 times 5?''

Issei didn't respond.

''He can't talk.'' – Chevis responded, pulling Issei's shirt over his body, uncovering his now bare chest.

His skin was a bit on the dark side. Tanned, probably. Some assumed he was from Okinawa.

More scars, muscular chest, ripped abbs. An inch long incision just on the left side, between his ribs. Chevis opened the wound a bit with her fingers.

''Not deep. You'll be fine, here.'' – She said, wrapping the now cut in two sleeve around his waist.

Chevis helped him with his shirt, as he got up. Standing on his two feet, he noticed how he was a bit shorter than the red-haired woman.

''Hey, are you getting dull, Margit?'' – Chevis asked her.

''I didn't want to kill him. Just to interrogate.''

''Sure you did, dog-woman.'' – She threw back.

They walked down the hallway, towards the front exit. Issei, of course, stumbled about as he walked.

They arrived to the front, as two kinds of differently dressed mercenaries were at each other's throats. One were dressed in slim, black clothes, holding their Magpul Masada assault rifles with the white-out tapes, while the other's were dressed in dark blue, carrying some-kind of M4 variant. Their night-visions raised the same way as the black dressed ones.

In the middle of the raised guns, a small girl was holding the woman their team was supposed to save. Her slender arms wrapped around her neck, as she held her from behind. A cute voice followed. –''Chevis and Four. I should've known.''

She sighed, as Four began to smoke another, new cigarette.

''Is Thirteen with you?'' – She asked, her cute, almond like eyes narrowing, as she began to play with her straw-like hair.

It was odd, for the half-lucid Issei. The girl in front of him looked like a kid, and was wearing a stylish brown parka jacket, with high-heeled boots and black, striped leggings.

''Of course not. She never comes on the battlefield.'' – Four responded. –''So, what do you want, Maria?''

''I need this girl. I really, really need her.'' – She said, cutely smiling.

Four sighed. The girl that Maria was holding squirmed, as she cried.

Issei wondered what the girl had done to deserve being on this base, in the middle of bumfuck nowhere, Russia.

''Listen. We are getting paid in spades, in spades. It's a lot of money...and if you don't give us the girl, we are going to have a battle to death right here.''

Maria chuckled cutely, as she listened to Chevis speak. –''Kakaka.~ Don't be like that. Let's see. I'll thrown 5% on top of what you getting paid.''

''10.'' – Four spoke.

''6.''

''9.''

''7.''

''7 it is.'' – Four responded, after a short while of gambling. Chevis sighed.

''Sorry girl. Money is all.'' – She spoke, looking downwards at the crying girl.

Issei remained indifferent...until his eyes met Maria's.

He stumbled, his expression turning into anger. He grabbed into his gun, raising it towards Maria. Suddenly, about 5 guns were pointed at him, while other's pointed at each-other, ending in a crisscross of raised guns, nobody moving a muscle.

Maria smirked, her mouth pulling into a curvy smile.

''NOBODY MOVE!'' - A gruff voice could be heard from one of the soldiers.

What had happened? Simple. Her green eyes had met Issei's dull brown, and he had become afraid. So, so, so afraid that he raised his gun in reflex. His hazy mind was a mess of thoughts.

How could a girl like this reek of such killing intent? Like rotting meat? Like death itself? And where had he seen those eyes?

Right. His step-father. The same expression. The moment the girl called Maria got her hands on the girl, she smiled. She smiled, and her eyes showed only expression – the desire to hurt someone weak. The same way his step-father enjoyed beating him and his step-mother.

She enjoyed it with all her heart.

His heart was trying to punch out of his chest, his arms shaking, his breathing became erratic.

Maria walked closer, as Issei almost stumbled walking backwards. Even though he was holding a gun in his hands, he was afraid.

Suddenly, Chevis walked in front of his gun, with her back turned. –''Lower your guns. You scared my student, Maria.''

''He's quite the scaredycat then, don't you think?~'' - She smirked.

''No. Even I feel uneasy in front of you.''

''Is that so?'' – She smirked. –''Well...okay. Lower your guns, men.''

Everyone calmed down, lowering their assault rifles.

''Hey, you kid with the cute brown eyes.'' - She spoke up, much to Issei's dismay. -''If you ever need work apart from these beginners, get in contact with me or Margit over here.''

She said, pointing at her side. The woman with blood red hair and eyes smiled a bit. Or atleast Issei thought that she did.-''I would certainly enjoy playing with you.~''

Her voice was cute, but creepy. So much so, that Issei got goosebumps on his skin.

Her soldiers stood around her, with Margit touching her, and they disappeared from that spot.

''You know, magic and mercenary work pisses me the fuck off. They can teleport in and out like that, while we have to kill our way in.'' - Henry, one of the darkly dressed men, spoke up. He was a bit new in the team, only having been there for about a year and a half.

He was muscular, tall and with a scarred face. He sighed, scratching his head.

''Misha, you alright? I didn't expect for that damn wench to scare you so much.'' – She spoke, as she led him into a different room, apart from the other mercenaries from his group.

''I...'' – Issei began to speak, but stuttered...so, he raised his hand and used sign-language. –''_She smelled like death_.''

''Correct. Don't ever, ever even think of working with her. She is probably the most dangerous person I know.''

Issei nodded.

''Try to get some sleep before the daylight comes. A chopper will arrive once the blizzard sets.'' – She said, dropping her black jacket onto his shoulders and exited the room.

Issei sat down in the corner of the room, pulled his knees to his chest and hugged himself. Memories overflooded him, and he almost began to hyperventilate, so he began thinking of knives. It always worked.

He thought of the weapons he had seen his life. The bladed weapons he had made himself. He thought of his own two, now shortswords. They spun around in his head. He spawned one of them into his hand. It was warm.

His fingers wrapped around the handle, as his breathing normalized and he fell into a restless slumber.

Old memories, once again. Abuse of army officers, abuse from his father, bullying in barracks. Then came scenes of the people he slaughtered. Innocents, guilty, kids. Whoever was in the way.

He was indifferent to it, honestly.

Then he dreamed of old land. Rusty tools. Rusty blades. Coals and lava. An unending field of weapons.

Then darkness.

And then, he was shaken up. He blinked a few times, the blur disappearing. Chevis' gentle grasp on his shoulder lessened, as she grasped his hand, helping him up.

The dull throb in his side hurt a lot more, as he moved, but he didn't ask Chevis for help. He walked onward to the doors, with her jacket over his shoulders as a cape. He would have put it on, but it was too large for him. After all, even if he had grown in the ballpark of 20 centimeters in the past years, he was still about 15 centimeters shorter than Chevis.

Issei could hear a helicopter outside, as they opened the doors.

It was beautiful. The snowstorm, blizzard had passed, only the whiteness of the world had remained. Wind still rushed, but it was a lot slower than before. Issei's breath made small clouds of hot air.

Their clothes ruffled in the wind the helicopter made, as Issei grabbed Chevis' jacket by the collar, holding it in place.

The six other mercenaries, soldiers, bodyguards, or whatever else they could be called awaited for them. A few of them were smoking, as they smiled, noticing Issei. All of them holding their assault rifles. The only one who was indifferent was Four, who simply didn't heed any attention to Issei.

''Issei-boyo, you alright?'' – A japanese man, a bit taller than him asked, as he walked closer. He was worried.

''...Mhm.'' – He nodded, his lips twisting into a small, small, very slight smile. Chevis wrapped her hand around his shoulder, as she helped him get into the helicopter.

She was warm.

The other guys quickly jumped in, letting Issei sit at the window seat. It was small, but it was enough to see the white show, coupled with the slight outlines of dead bodies.

As the helicopter raised into the air, and the now empty, dead silent military base became smaller and smaller, Issei lost himself in thoughts.

This...this was his family now. They were a mismatch of nutcases, old war demons, young delinquents, however, all of them were extremely competent soldiers.

Undoubtedly, surely, absolutely, definitely...

He wasn't alone anymore. And he wasn't alone for quite a time now.

**_I travel with mercenaries._**

* * *

_Author's notes_

_Been a bit. It's 3.22 AM for me. Bursts of inspiration come and go, I try to catch them. Somehow this feels bad. I don't know, you be the judge of it_

_People from Broken Wings make cameo's. The story becomes faster. You probably didn't expect a timeskip. This makes Issei almost 18 years old. His Canon counterpart would be about 12/13 right now. Yes, that is a reference to Jormungand at the end._

_Yes, I know that night-vision googles don't leave trails of green. I still write it like they do._

_Anyways, yes. Stuff happens._

**_PLEASE CHECK OUT MY NEW ONESHOT AND LEAVE A REVIEW!~ It's called ''The End is Where We Began'' It's an AU with Issei and Saji as mains, inspired by the manga called ''Gangsta.''_**

**_Please leave a review if you enjoyed this story/chapter. They are always appreciated and I get motivated from them._**


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